What do prediction activities in reading instruction aim to do?

Prediction activities in reading instruction are designed to generate discussion before reading the text. When students engage in predicting what will happen in a story or what information will be presented in an article, they activate their prior knowledge and make connections to their own experiences. This process encourages them to discuss their thoughts and ideas with peers or the teacher, which enhances comprehension and engagement with the text. Additionally, making predictions can spark curiosity, motivating students to continue reading to confirm or adjust their predictions based on what they discover in the text. Such discussions foster a collaborative learning environment and promote critical thinking skills, making them a valuable component of the pre-reading phase of instruction.